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German Tarantula Smuggler Falls Into Uncle Sam's Web Over Arachnid Mailings ("Operation Spiderman")
The Smoking Gun ^ | Dec 03 2010 | Staff

Posted on 12/03/2010 3:01:42 PM PST by golux

A German man has been arrested on animal smuggling charges after he allegedly mailed hundreds of live tarantulas to customers in the United States. Sven Koppler, 37, was busted yesterday when he arrived in Los Angeles to meet with an associate, according to investigators.

(snip)

The federal probe of Koppler began in March, when agents intercepted a package headed for L.A. that contained about 300 tarantulas. Investigators subsequently seized a second United States Postal Service shipment containing nearly 250 live tarantulas. During an undercover probe (dubbed “Operation Spiderman”) run by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents, Koppler allegedly mailed several other packages containing tarantulas...

(Excerpt) Read more at thesmokinggun.com ...


TOPICS: Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: tarantella; tarantula; usps
The cool part of the story is that now there are a bunch of kids who can say their postal worker parents were among the undercover agents behind "Operation Spiderman."
1 posted on 12/03/2010 3:01:46 PM PST by golux
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To: golux
You know, even if it was Constitutional, and it's not, I wouldn't investigate this. I would see NOTHING. Nope. I'm not shaking any packages, opening any packages or examining any packages that contain hundreds of tarantulas. Nothing to see here, boss, move along.

Shivvvver.

/johnny

2 posted on 12/03/2010 3:05:48 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: golux

3 posted on 12/03/2010 3:24:07 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: JRandomFreeper

Why are tarantulas banned in the US? They are harmless to humans, do they take over habitats?


4 posted on 12/03/2010 3:24:52 PM PST by Oshkalaboomboom
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To: JRandomFreeper

Agreed.
The only way it could be worse is if they were Zombie Spiders...


5 posted on 12/03/2010 3:27:25 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

I think there are tarantulas that are Native to the US; AZ IIRC.


6 posted on 12/03/2010 3:28:34 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: Oshkalaboomboom
My guess is that if the guy was connected to the right people, and paid the right 'fees', and filled out the right paperwork, there wouldn't be any problem. My local zoo has lots of the foreign fuzzy nasties. They got them somewhere, and they don't get busted.

No, the arachnids probably weren't the problem. His lack of obesience to the powers that be was probably the problem.

/johnny

7 posted on 12/03/2010 3:30:10 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: OneWingedShark
Zombie Spiders...

JHC on a raft! Don't do that! I won't sleep for days.

/johnny

8 posted on 12/03/2010 3:31:55 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: OneWingedShark
Texas has them as well. My first ex-wife hated the season when they migrated, because I would buy a bunch of rat-shot for the .38 (This was back when it was cheap). And when I saw one, I shot it. Ceiling? I can fix that. Floor? I can fix that. Wall? I can fix that. Porch? No need to fix that, it gives it a weathered look.

Best part of moving above 7K ASL in NM was not seeing the fuzzy nasties, and many fewer black widows.

Of course, I'm back in Texas, but I'm semi-urban, so I don't expect to see any. And if I do, I have #8 shot for the shotguns. If I remember to reload from the 00 buck shot.

/johnny

9 posted on 12/03/2010 3:38:05 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: JRandomFreeper
And if I do, I have #8 shot for the shotguns. If I remember to reload from the 00 buck shot.

That will definitely antique your woodwork. ;^)

10 posted on 12/03/2010 3:46:19 PM PST by TigersEye (Who crashed the markets on 9/28/08 and why?)
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To: golux
Photobucket

Photobucket

11 posted on 12/03/2010 3:52:21 PM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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To: JRandomFreeper

That reply left me laughing for minutes.
Thanks.


12 posted on 12/03/2010 4:00:11 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

Dude. BOGUS! NOT cool! PLEASE do not let evil longlegs kill adoptees.


13 posted on 12/04/2010 1:10:43 PM PST by golux
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy; JRandomFreeper; golux
I came across a somewhat amusing video that made me think of this thread and you guys.
14 posted on 12/05/2010 8:25:41 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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